COMPUTER SCIENCE MASTER'S DEGREE
PROGRAM

Introduction

The Master of Science in Computer Science has been offered
at California State University, Northridge since 1975.
The aim of the M.S. in Computer Science program is to provide a core of advanced courses
which build upon the knowledge gained from an undergraduate degree in computer
science. The core is complemented by a set of electives in advanced computer science
topics and a project or thesis.

All graduate level classes are taught in the evening, many
electives are frequently taught in the evening, and most undergraduate prerequisite
classes are taught at least once a year in the evening. Hence, it is possible for
most students to acquire the master's degree by taking only evening classes. Also,
there is no requirement to be a full-time student, so it is possible to take only one or
two classes every semester and earn the degree in this manner.

Approximately 425 students have obtained
their M.S. in computer science at Cal State Northridge since 1975. In the past five years
there have been over 100 M.S. graduates from the program for an average of about 20
graduates per year.

In order to be admitted to the department, you must first meet the university admission
criteria and then be evaluated and recommended by the department for admission to its
program. The department bases its evaluation on your undergraduate and graduate grade
point averages (GPA) and your general Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores. Scores
from the GRE aptitude test are required for admission to our program. Letters of
recommendation are not required for admission, but, if submitted, will be used in the
evaluation. Send letters of recommendation directly to the graduate admissions office. Do
not send them or have them sent to the Computer Science Department.

The CSMS degree program includes a series of advanced level courses that builds on the
knowledge gained from an undergraduate program in Computer Science. If you have studied
all the necessary undergraduate level courses then you will be admitted to the program as
a fully classified student. A fully classified student can enroll in graduate
classes and start working on the thesis or project.

However, a B.S. in Computer Science is not essential for admission to the CSMS program.
If you do not have the necessary undergraduate level preparation then you can be admitted
to the CSMS program as a conditionally classified student. From the list of prerequisite classes you will then be given the
necessary undergraduate classes to take as a condition for receiving full classification.